KUM Watercolor Brush Faded French Tug #4

The KUM Faded French Wash Brush #4 is a watercolour brush in French style, crafted from a blend of two different high-tech synthetic fibres – 100% handmade in Germany. The characteristically long, voluminous bristles give the brush its soft, yielding character and make it the first choice for generous, atmospheric watercolour work. The matte black handle lies pleasantly cool and slim in the hand, giving the brushes a quiet, minimalist appearance.

Features

• Dual-fibre technology: The softer fibres consist of a blend of different fibre diameters – this creates extremely high water and colour absorption capacity as well as even, controlled release with each brushstroke.
• Hardened support fibres: The stiffer fibres are stabilised through a special hardening process, giving the brush noticeable elasticity and recovery power despite its softness – the wash brush springs reliably back into shape even after broad pressure application.
• Medium-Soft hardness grade: The Faded positions itself precisely between very soft wash brushes and somewhat firmer Kolinsky imitations – soft enough for flowing transitions, controlled enough for directed brushstrokes.
• Wash brush shape: The long, luxuriant bristles hold large quantities of diluted colour and release it in long, even strokes – ideal for broad areas without interruption.
• Matte black handle: Unlacquered, matte finish – no glare, no glint when working under artificial light.
• 100% vegan synthetic fibres: No animal hair, easy to clean, long-lasting.
• Handmade in Germany: Each brush is handcrafted and bound in Erlangen.

Use & Tips

• Backgrounds and washes: The wash brush holds enough diluted colour to lay down an entire sheet background in one stroke – wet-on-wet technique on pre-dampened paper produces particularly soft results.
• Even colour gradations: With a fully loaded wash brush, you can paint skies, water and misty areas with flowing, seamless transitions.
• Long, curved lines: The wash brush shape is ideal for drawing long, even strokes – for horizons, water reflections or curved ground areas in urban sketching motifs.
• Looseness in style: Those who paint consciously loose and spontaneously benefit from the yielding fibre structure – the brush gives way without losing control entirely.
• Paper recommendation: On smooth, waterfast watercolour paper with at least 300 g/m², the even colour release of the wash brush tuft is particularly noticeable; rough watercolour paper creates more texture in the stroke.
• Care: After use, rinse thoroughly in lukewarm water and dry lying flat or with the handle pointing downwards, so that no water enters the ferrule.

For Watercolour Enthusiasts

The "French" type derives from the French wash brush tradition – a broadly fanned, voluminous wash brush specifically developed for large-scale, atmospheric washes. KUM combines this classical form with modern dual-fibre technology: the softer fibres of varying diameters work like a capillary system with high storage capacity, whilst the support fibres hardened through heat treatment provide recovery power – an approach that gives synthetic hair brushes a practical advantage over natural hair in terms of cleaning effort and shape stability. Size 4 is not a small detail brush, but a mid-sized wash format – compact enough for targeted colour field work, large enough for backgrounds on A5 paper in a single stroke.

Technical Specifications